Thursday, February 26
Omaha, Neb.
8:00 PM
Creighton University
vs
Providence
Photo by: Creighton Athletics
WBB Preview: Bluejays Face Providence in Final Home Game
2/23/2026 6:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Omaha, Neb. -- Creighton Women's Basketball plays its final home game of the 2025-26 regular season as the Bluejays take on Providence on Thursday, February 26 in D.J. Sokol Arena on TNT.
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Series with Providence: Creighton leads 19-5Â
Home: 8-3 Away: 9-2 Neutral: 2-0
The Bluejays have faced Providence 24 times, collecting 19 wins. Creighton is 8-3 against Providence in Omaha.Â
Series Game-by-Game
Date  Opponent  Score
3/21/87  @ & vs. Providence  W, 91-89
1/11/14  at Providence  W, 97-65
2/15/14  Providence  W, 85-64
1/16/15  at Providence  W, 65-54
2/15/15  Providence  W, 84-57
1/17/16  Providence  W, 72-48
2/14/16  at Providence  L, 59-61
3/5/16  # ª vs. Providence  W, 70-53
1/14/17  at Providence  W, 58-51
2/11/17  Providence  W, 88-57
1/13/18  Providence  W, 73-56
2/10/18  at Providence  W, 87-84 (2ot)
1/26/19  Providence  L, 63-77
2/23/19  at Providence  W, 73-64
1/11/20  Providence  W, 72-63
2/8/20  at Providence  W, 77-68
2/10/21  Providence  L, 48-60
12/19/21  at Providence  W, 71-56
1/28/22  Providence  W, 95-71
1/4/23  Providence  L, 75-79
1/24/23  at Providence  W, 64-46
1/14/24  Providence  W, 81-70
1/4/25  at Providence  W, 60-46
2/2/25  Providence  W, 79-66
1/17/26  at Providence  L, 77-80
ª - BIG EAST Tournament game
@ = played in Amarillo, Texas
# = played in Chicago, Ill.
& = WNIT game
About Providence
Providence is 4-1 in its last five games, falling only at #1 UConn. Three of the four wins came at home, while the Friars also bested Georgetown on the road (59-54 on Feb. 14).
Sabou Gueye and Teneisia Brown lead Providence with 14.9 and 10.0 ppg respectively. While Orlagh Gormley and Payton Dunbar average 8.3 and 7.5 ppg.Â
The Friars frustrated Creighton in the first meeting with 42 points in the paint, led by 22 points from Gueye. Meanwhile Gormley had one of her best games with 21 points and four assists.
Scouting Creighton (13-14, 9-9 BE)
The Bluejays reentered the win column after two tough losses to Connecticut and Villanova with a 67-58 victory over Butler on the road.
A steady offensive attack benefited the Bluejays greatly in the first two quarters. Creighton held a 44-28 lead at halftime, bolstered by over 50% shooting from the field and at or above 60% shooting from beyond the arc in both quarters.
Butler made strides toward overcoming the 16-point deficit to within 10, 51-43, by the end of the third frame, but sharpshooting to open the fourth quarter allowed Creighton to maintain its 10-point advantage into the final minute.
Six Bluejays recorded eight or more points on the night. Boffeli pioneered the Bluejay offense with 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Ava Zediker's 13 points, Allison Heathcock's 11 points, Norah Gessert's nine points, Kennedy Townsend's eight points and Kendall McGee's nine points tied the bow on the balanced attack. Â
Keys to the game:
Recap of First Meeting: 1-17-26
Providence 80, Creighton 77
After 39 minutes of closely contested basketball, a blocked Creighton shot that would have knotted the score ultimately defined the 80-77 Creighton loss in the first meeting between the Friars and Bluejays.
The first two quarters saw the Providence offense light up early and the Bluejays respond with the necessary firepower to take the lead by the end of each frame. After the Bluejays came back from down seven to reclaim a 21-18 edge in the first, an 8-2 run at the end of the second helped Creighton secure a 38-36 edge at halftime.Â
In the third, Creighton took as large as a five-point lead, but a dangerous 13-2 run helped Providence shift the momentum, taking a 10-point lead, 56-55, heading into the final 10 minutes of action.
The Bluejays refused to relent in the fourth quarter, battling back within three with less than a minute left. With under a minute remaining, a Friar turnover provided Creighton the perfect opportunity to even the score, but a Friar block on Townsend's triple with 36 seconds remaining ended Creighton's hopes of a comeback.
Sabou Gueye led all scorers with 22 points, while Orlagh Gormley recorded 21 points to pair with four assists and two steals. Townsend led the Bluejays with 18 points, while Zediker followed with 17. Neleigh Gessert and Grace Boffeli each added 14 to round out the Creighton scoring effort.
Milestone Watch
Norah Gessert Shines in Neleigh's Absence
Elevated into her third start due to an injury to her twin sister Neleigh, Norah Gessert came out firing with three treys in the first half. She went on to finish with nine points and four rebounds, but her sharp shooting helped Creighton build a 21-point lead in the latter portion of the second quarter.
Boffeli Beginning to Climb Bluejays' Single Season Rebounding Lists
With 240 rebounds and an average of 8.9 per game, Grace Boffeli has cracked the Bluejays' Top-10 List. Boffeli leads the BIG EAST in both categories.
Rebounds
  1.  325  Megan Neuvirth  2008-09
  2.  274  Sarah Nelson  2013-14
  3.  260  Janet Ensign  1986-87
  4.  258  Sarah Nelson  2012-13
  5.  254  Connie Yori  1982-83
  6.   253  Pam Gradoville  1987-88
  7.  251  Sarah Nelson  2011-12
  8.  243  Anne Timmerman  1976-77
    243  Shannon Struby  1990-91
  10.  240  Grace Boffeli  2025-26
    240  Sam Schuett  2009-10
    240  Connie Yori  1983-84
    Â
Rebounding Average
  1.  12.8  Anne Timmerman  1976-77
  2.  11.7  Cheri Love  1978-79
  3.  9.57  Cathy Tryon  1979-80
  4.  9.55  Megan Neuvirth  2008-09
  5.  9.1  Connie Yori  1982-83
  6.  9.03   Pam Gradoville  1987-88
  7.  8.96  Janet Ensign  1986-87
  8.  8.89  Grace Boffeli  2025-26
  9.  8.7  Jeannine Kardell  1988-89
  10.  8.6  Connie Yori  1983-84
      Â
With Two Games Remaining, Bluejays Can Mathematically Finish Fourth Through Seventh
Entering the game with Providence, Creighton is 9-9 in BIG EAST action. The Bluejays have swept St. John's and Butler, been swept by UConn and Villanova and split with Seton Hall, Marquette, Georgetown and DePaul. Creighton's final two games are home against Providence and at Xavier (March 1).
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2/26: - 8:00 p.m.Â
Providence at Creighton
Omaha, Neb. (D.J. Sokol Arena)
Twitter: @GoCreighton, @CreightonWBBÂ
TV: TNT (Cindy Brunson, Aja Ellison & Chelsea Sherrod):Â
https://www.tntdrama.com/watchtnt
Stat Broadcast: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=617084
Â
Providence at Creighton
Omaha, Neb. (D.J. Sokol Arena)
Twitter: @GoCreighton, @CreightonWBBÂ
TV: TNT (Cindy Brunson, Aja Ellison & Chelsea Sherrod):Â
https://www.tntdrama.com/watchtnt
Stat Broadcast: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=617084
Series with Providence: Creighton leads 19-5Â
Home: 8-3 Away: 9-2 Neutral: 2-0
The Bluejays have faced Providence 24 times, collecting 19 wins. Creighton is 8-3 against Providence in Omaha.Â
Series Game-by-Game
Date  Opponent  Score
3/21/87  @ & vs. Providence  W, 91-89
1/11/14  at Providence  W, 97-65
2/15/14  Providence  W, 85-64
1/16/15  at Providence  W, 65-54
2/15/15  Providence  W, 84-57
1/17/16  Providence  W, 72-48
2/14/16  at Providence  L, 59-61
3/5/16  # ª vs. Providence  W, 70-53
1/14/17  at Providence  W, 58-51
2/11/17  Providence  W, 88-57
1/13/18  Providence  W, 73-56
2/10/18  at Providence  W, 87-84 (2ot)
1/26/19  Providence  L, 63-77
2/23/19  at Providence  W, 73-64
1/11/20  Providence  W, 72-63
2/8/20  at Providence  W, 77-68
2/10/21  Providence  L, 48-60
12/19/21  at Providence  W, 71-56
1/28/22  Providence  W, 95-71
1/4/23  Providence  L, 75-79
1/24/23  at Providence  W, 64-46
1/14/24  Providence  W, 81-70
1/4/25  at Providence  W, 60-46
2/2/25  Providence  W, 79-66
1/17/26  at Providence  L, 77-80
ª - BIG EAST Tournament game
@ = played in Amarillo, Texas
# = played in Chicago, Ill.
& = WNIT game
About Providence
- Located in Providence, Rhode Island.Â
- Providence went 13-19 last season.
- Head coach Erin Batth entered her third season as a head coach in 2025-26.
Providence is 4-1 in its last five games, falling only at #1 UConn. Three of the four wins came at home, while the Friars also bested Georgetown on the road (59-54 on Feb. 14).
Sabou Gueye and Teneisia Brown lead Providence with 14.9 and 10.0 ppg respectively. While Orlagh Gormley and Payton Dunbar average 8.3 and 7.5 ppg.Â
The Friars frustrated Creighton in the first meeting with 42 points in the paint, led by 22 points from Gueye. Meanwhile Gormley had one of her best games with 21 points and four assists.
Scouting Creighton (13-14, 9-9 BE)
The Bluejays reentered the win column after two tough losses to Connecticut and Villanova with a 67-58 victory over Butler on the road.
A steady offensive attack benefited the Bluejays greatly in the first two quarters. Creighton held a 44-28 lead at halftime, bolstered by over 50% shooting from the field and at or above 60% shooting from beyond the arc in both quarters.
Butler made strides toward overcoming the 16-point deficit to within 10, 51-43, by the end of the third frame, but sharpshooting to open the fourth quarter allowed Creighton to maintain its 10-point advantage into the final minute.
Six Bluejays recorded eight or more points on the night. Boffeli pioneered the Bluejay offense with 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Ava Zediker's 13 points, Allison Heathcock's 11 points, Norah Gessert's nine points, Kennedy Townsend's eight points and Kendall McGee's nine points tied the bow on the balanced attack. Â
Keys to the game:
- Establish an Interior Presence: In the first meeting, the Bluejays surrendered 42 points in the paint while managing just 28 of their own. Establishing stronger interior defense while getting more paint touches and finishing at the rim on offense will be critical to flipping the script in the rematch.
- Slow down Gueye and Gormley: Providence had big performances from Gueye and Gormley, who combined for 43 of Providence's 80 points and took a combined 32 shots in the first contest. Winning this second matchup will require limiting the pair's touches and challenging other Friars to make shots.
- Protect Possession: The Bluejays turned the ball over 11 times when the two teams met in January, which turned into 20 points for the Friars. Winning this second matchup will require shrinking the turnover margin, as in a one-possession game, those mistakes can ultimately decide the outcome.
Recap of First Meeting: 1-17-26
Providence 80, Creighton 77
After 39 minutes of closely contested basketball, a blocked Creighton shot that would have knotted the score ultimately defined the 80-77 Creighton loss in the first meeting between the Friars and Bluejays.
The first two quarters saw the Providence offense light up early and the Bluejays respond with the necessary firepower to take the lead by the end of each frame. After the Bluejays came back from down seven to reclaim a 21-18 edge in the first, an 8-2 run at the end of the second helped Creighton secure a 38-36 edge at halftime.Â
In the third, Creighton took as large as a five-point lead, but a dangerous 13-2 run helped Providence shift the momentum, taking a 10-point lead, 56-55, heading into the final 10 minutes of action.
The Bluejays refused to relent in the fourth quarter, battling back within three with less than a minute left. With under a minute remaining, a Friar turnover provided Creighton the perfect opportunity to even the score, but a Friar block on Townsend's triple with 36 seconds remaining ended Creighton's hopes of a comeback.
Sabou Gueye led all scorers with 22 points, while Orlagh Gormley recorded 21 points to pair with four assists and two steals. Townsend led the Bluejays with 18 points, while Zediker followed with 17. Neleigh Gessert and Grace Boffeli each added 14 to round out the Creighton scoring effort.
Milestone Watch
- Grace Boffeli enters the game with Providence tied for 10th on Creighton's single season list with 240 rebounds.
- Kennedy Townsend has 682 career points.
Norah Gessert Shines in Neleigh's Absence
Elevated into her third start due to an injury to her twin sister Neleigh, Norah Gessert came out firing with three treys in the first half. She went on to finish with nine points and four rebounds, but her sharp shooting helped Creighton build a 21-point lead in the latter portion of the second quarter.
Boffeli Beginning to Climb Bluejays' Single Season Rebounding Lists
With 240 rebounds and an average of 8.9 per game, Grace Boffeli has cracked the Bluejays' Top-10 List. Boffeli leads the BIG EAST in both categories.
Rebounds
  1.  325  Megan Neuvirth  2008-09
  2.  274  Sarah Nelson  2013-14
  3.  260  Janet Ensign  1986-87
  4.  258  Sarah Nelson  2012-13
  5.  254  Connie Yori  1982-83
  6.   253  Pam Gradoville  1987-88
  7.  251  Sarah Nelson  2011-12
  8.  243  Anne Timmerman  1976-77
    243  Shannon Struby  1990-91
  10.  240  Grace Boffeli  2025-26
    240  Sam Schuett  2009-10
    240  Connie Yori  1983-84
    Â
Rebounding Average
  1.  12.8  Anne Timmerman  1976-77
  2.  11.7  Cheri Love  1978-79
  3.  9.57  Cathy Tryon  1979-80
  4.  9.55  Megan Neuvirth  2008-09
  5.  9.1  Connie Yori  1982-83
  6.  9.03   Pam Gradoville  1987-88
  7.  8.96  Janet Ensign  1986-87
  8.  8.89  Grace Boffeli  2025-26
  9.  8.7  Jeannine Kardell  1988-89
  10.  8.6  Connie Yori  1983-84
      Â
With Two Games Remaining, Bluejays Can Mathematically Finish Fourth Through Seventh
Entering the game with Providence, Creighton is 9-9 in BIG EAST action. The Bluejays have swept St. John's and Butler, been swept by UConn and Villanova and split with Seton Hall, Marquette, Georgetown and DePaul. Creighton's final two games are home against Providence and at Xavier (March 1).
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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